


Nobility's Scorn

by trysomecats



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: But also sort of nice Harry?, Character Death, M/M, Manipulative Harry, Not one of the boys, Rich Harry, Rich Liam, Servant Niall, but it's still disturbing, rich/poor divide, servant zayn, unfortunate slave Louis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2018-05-02 12:54:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5248970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trysomecats/pseuds/trysomecats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You belong to me, Louis. You owe my family with your life, which is why you’ll use the rest of it serving us."</p><p>In other words, Harry is a powerful noble who enjoys tormenting Louis. Why else would he make peeling potatoes his most used punishment?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Permanent Servant

Niall doesn’t mind waking up early to prepare breakfast for his master. He’s been doing it for several years now, so it is a comforting routine to have the fancy kitchen to himself. It is the warmest room of the manor, with the hot coal stove administering plenty of heat. It certainly beats having to wander the chilly hallways.

For the next hour Niall makes porridge, bacon, sausage, and cubed fruit. The porridge is for the other servants, while the rest is solely for Harry. Of course since Niall is making it he feels obligated to steal a few pieces of bacon.

Just as Niall is loading Harry’s plate, the door swings open and someone prances in.

“Today is the day!” Louis tells Niall, cheeks flushed with excitement as he joins the servant at the counter.

“The day of what?” Niall asks, mentally going through the calendar in his head. As far as he knows nothing important is due to happen until next week, when a party is going to be held.

“The day I get my freedom,” Louis says as he rolls his eyes. “Remember? I’ve only been preparing for this day for a whole year!”

Of course, Niall remembers now.

Louis isn’t a hired servant like most of Harry Styles’ staff are; he could be compared to a slave more than anything else. While Niall is allowed to quit working here anytime he wants, Louis does not get this privilege. He is stuck working for the rest of his life for something that he did not even do, due to rather special (unfortunate) circumstances.

“Louis,” Niall places his hand on his friend’s arm. “Just don’t get your hopes up too high, okay? Harry might not even remember…”

“He has to,” Louis insists. “Last December he told me quite clearly that if I could come up with one thousand silver pieces, then I could buy my freedom back instantly! I’ve worked my ass off for almost eleven months for this.”

This was true, Niall knew for a fact. Louis only got paid half a much as the normal servants, but it was kind of Harry to even pay him at all, because he was under no obligation to. Louis had taken to doing any sort of odd job he could around the place for other servants and people in order to gain extra money. Niall always gave Louis a few of his own coins when his weekly paycheck came around.

“Well, I guess you’ll find out. Here, have some breakfast.”

Louis shakes his head. “I’m too excited to eat! I’m gonna take Haz’s food to him now.”

 **  
**Louis takes Harry’s breakfast plate from Niall. He’s in charge of delivering each of Harry’s meals to him, which is usually something Louis relents. Niall admits that he pities poor Tomlinson. For some reason Harry’s got this obsession with him, which is why Niall seriously doubts Harry would actually let Louis buy off his freedom. **  
**

It isn’t necessarily a bad obsession. Harry never overworks Louis, but he always pays close attention to him. Most of the time he requires Louis to stay within the same room with him, whether it be to serve him tea and snacks, clean, or even just ‘hang out’. Niall knew that Harry and Louis could have actually been pretty good friends if it wasn’t for the unfortunate circumstances.

By now the sun is beginning to rise, and Niall’s kitchen duties are over. He is only required to make breakfast three days a week, and that is to give the actual cook a break, but Niall likes making breakfast most days anyways. He washes his hands and slips off his apron, ready to continue with his other morning duties.

Niall has been serving Harry for three years now, and he can’t really complain.

Harry Styles is from one of the oldest, richest families of nobles in existence. His parents are very powerful people with much control over the government, and they also a little bit menacing in Niall’s opinion. Well, his mother didn’t seem too bad if you were on her good side, but many people weren’t. Thankfully Niall had only met them on several occasions, as they lived further into the city.

Now Harry, Niall actually liked. Yes, he was cocky and arrogant, but he was also quite kindhearted compared to most nobles. He paid his staff good wages and he never tormented commoners for the pleasure of it. So many nobles were disrespectful and plain cruel to those below them.

Harry was nice though, for a noble. He sometimes joked with Niall, he let Zayn have evening duties so he could sleep till noon everyday, and he gave them Sundays and holidays off. Of course Niall also owed Harry big time, for giving him a job here so he could send money home to his poor parents and sickly older brother.

The hallways are lit up now, as a servant has began drawing back the long curtains. It was nearing eight o’clock, which meant Niall had a lot of work to do. Harry’s good friend Liam, another noble of course, was coming to visit today. The blonde Irishman always enjoyed Liam’s visits, so he cheerfully got to work, whistling as he began polishing the furniture in the parlor.

* * *

“Well Hazza, it’s been a pleasure working for you,” Louis says as he cheerfully dumps a bulging sack of coins on his master’s breakfast tray. “But that’s all behind me now. I just need to get my things together, but don’t fret; I should be gone by morning.”

Harry blinks sleepily as he pops a piece of fruit into his mouth. “What on Earth are you going on about Lou?”

“One thousand silver pieces,” Louis announces proudly. “You can count them yourself, but I can assure you it’s all there.”

The noble still looks confused. “...And?”

Louis starts to panic a little, but he takes a calming breath. “Like you told me at that party last November...I earned enough to buy off my freedom.”

Harry’s eyebrows furrow, but then light up in realization. As he begins to laugh, Louis feels his stomach drop.

“Oh Louis,” Harry chuckles. “You...you didn’t think I was serious? Oh love, no. What part of ‘serving the Styles family for life’ don’t you understand? Oh dear, have you really been taking that joke seriously all these months? I was plastered!”

At first Louis is shocked. This is not supposed to be happening. Today is supposed to be the day of his long awaited freedom. But Harry is laughing in his face, mocking him.

“You said,” Louis reminds him slowly. “You told me…”

“Well, thank you for this money,” Harry tucks the sack away safely under his arm. “Now please leave my breakfast darling, and go on with your duties. I expect you to be in the tearoom at noon to serve me and Liam.”

For a moment Louis stays still, mouth open in shock.

Then, he acts.

“Fuck you, Master _asshole_ Styles!”

Harry’s breakfast is dumped onto his lap, spilling all over him, and Louis stomps from the room.

* * *

Zayn is sleepily making his way to the washroom when he spots Louis angrily scrubbing the hallway floors. He stops and stares, but Louis doesn’t even notice him until he clears his throat.

“What do you want Malik?” The tiny servant seethes.

“...I take it your morning didn’t go well?”

“You could say that,” Louis says, not stopping with his scrubbing. “I’m being punished for dumping the master’s breakfast on him.”

“Ah,” Zayn’s eyes widen a bit. “And why have you dumped Harry’s breakfast on him?”

“Because he’s the biggest, meanest, stupidest jerk in the entire universe!”

“I take it Harry didn’t give you your freedom?”

“Piss off!” Louis growls.

Zayn nods. “Right. I’ll just...leave you to it then?”

Louis whips the wet cloth at Zayn’s leg. “Go!”

Zayn leaves Louis to his punishment.

It takes a total of three hours for the longest hallway in the manor to be ‘hand scrubbed’ as Harry had ordered, which meant no mop. Louis’ fingers were colored an angry red raw, stinging from the harsh combination of soap, water, and cold air.

Louis hates Harry more than anything. No, he hates the Styles family in general more than anything. They’re assholes, and also the reason his parents are dead. Not a day went by without Louis dreaming of kicking the shit out of Harry. He’d do it too, if it wouldn’t result in execution.

It didn’t matter that sometimes Harry made him laugh, or that he was handsome and charming. It also didn’t matter that Louis usually called him ‘Hazza’ as an endearing nickname, and that Harry allowed it. Right now he hated Harry to the core, so he was back to the cold title of ‘Master’.

It is almost noon, so Louis has to run to his chambers to change into clean clothes suited for serving. He wears a nice dress shirt and slacks, because Harry makes his servants look neat and pretty (especially Louis) when they aren’t doing steadfast cleaning or cooking.

Louis hates when Liam visits. It’s always the worst when he comes over, which happens at least twice a month, if not more. Together the two nobles enjoy making his life a living hell.

“Afternoon Tommo!” Liam greets Louis as he enters the parlor with a tray of tea and finger sandwiches. He is posh as usual, dressed nicely with his hair neatly slicked back. Harry is sitting across from him, and both are in cozy armchairs.

Louis doesn’t reply until Harry decides to torture him further.

“Louis, don’t be rude. What do you say to Liam?”

As he sets the tray down on the table, Louis turns to Liam and bows his head, if only to avoid eye contact.

“Afternoon, _Sir_.” He can’t help but sneer.

Liam appears delighted.

“You’ll have to excuse Lou, he’s been temperamental all this morning.” Harry informs Liam lightheartedly. It’s obviously mockery, because Harry looks at Louis while he says it, as if waiting for him to do something irrational.

Louis does contemplate dumping tea over Harry’s lap, but he refrains and begins pouring it into the cups, pointedly ignoring the nobles. Suddenly Harry’s hand snatches his wrist.

“What’s this?” Harry sounds concerned as he gently separates Louis’ fingers to inspect them, touching the red and sore knuckles. “Didn’t you wear gloves?”

Louis snatches back his hand, glaring. “That’s none of your concern.”

Just like he is always instructed to during teatime, Louis stands slightly to Harry’s right side with his hands behind his back. Instead of talking about business or gossip, they continue to discuss him instead.

“I dunno Harry,” Liam says. “You’ve had Louis for what, a year now? He still looks like he hasn’t worked a day in his life.”

“I work him well enough,” Harry defends himself. “You know I like my house servants perfect and pretty, not rough like the field servants. Plus you kind of _have_ to work Lou in order to wind him down.”

Louis can’t stand it anymore, so he takes the bait. “Why don’t the both of you shut the hell up?”

“Servants should only speak when spoken to,” Liam says, but his eyes are gleeful and lighthearted.

They think winding Louis up and joking with him is funny, but it’s not.

“I’ll speak when I damn well please!”

The teapot is knocked to the floor, and so is the pile of sandwiches. This is just what Harry has appeared to be waiting for. He stands up and grabs Louis by the upper arm, giving him a rough smack on the bottom. Louis supposes it is better than being hit in the face, but it is still humiliating.

“Niall!” Harry calls out.

The Irish servant appears within a few moments. “Yes sir?”

“Take Louis into the cellar and have him peel one hundred potatoes. Make sure he wears gloves.”

* * *

Louis hates ‘potato punishment’ which is what he refers to it as (it happens at least twice a month). He has to sit in the damp cellar of the manor on the dingy floor. Peeling one or two potatoes is easy, but anything over twenty is tiresome and hard work. Needless to say, one hundred potatoes is a terrible thing.

His back is aching from being hunched over a barrel which is slowly filling up with potato skins. Niall comes to check on his progress every so often, but other than that it is lonely and dim down in the cellar.

Harry always comes up with punishments that are annoying and take a long time. In any other noble home, a servant would get whipped within an inch of their life if they acted out like Louis did. Harry has a strict no whipping policy, or even hitting for that matter (aside from the backside on occasion, but he only seems to do that to Louis). Once when Louis insulted a visiting noble and got backhanded roughly across the face, Harry had went haywire with fury.

None of that mattered though, because Louis still hated him.

Louis is on his 97th potato when Harry comes into the cellar.

“I think you need a few reminders,” The curly haired noble says. “Drop the potato and get down on your knees.”

Harry does this every so often, to remind Louis of his place. It is demeaning and rude, which is another reason why Louis hates Harry. Still, he kneels before Harry with his head bowed down, mostly because he is tired and today has been exhausting and filled with punishments.

“Tomlinson,” Harry began softly. “Just a year ago, that was one of the most respected names of England. They were a fine family of nobles whom many looked up to.”

Louis gritted his teeth.

“But then Lord and Lady Tomlinson shamed themselves,” Harry continued. “They had secret plans stowed away that were discovered. They were going to murder other noble families in order to rise to an even higher power….the first on their list was the Styles family.”

Louis still hadn’t accepted it, even though he’d seen the plans himself and his parents had plead guilty to them.

“So Lord and Lady Tomlinson were set to be executed,” Harry said after a long pause. “But there was an issue. They had seven children, all of whom were deemed innocent. They could not be put to death like their parents, but the Tomlinson family would also be forever stripped of their nobility and shamed. Their fate was solely up to the Styles family.”

Face burning red, Louis’ eyes were closed tightly. He wanted so badly to cover his ears.

“Lady Anne, my mother, took charge of what would happen to the children. She would not let them become pitiful street beggars. No, she made plans for them. Beautiful Charlotte and Félicité were sent to her friend Lady Calder’s manor to live comfortably as house servants. Sweet little Daisy and Phoebe were taken in by Lady Anne herself, who continues to give them education and dotes on them. Adorable babies Ernest and Doris were sent to Lady Anne’s daughter Gemma, to be raised in her beautiful countryside home.”

Harry paused once again, and Louis knew the next direction he was going in.

“And then there was the oldest Tomlinson child. Lovely Louis, with his alluring blue eyes and delicate hands. With his smooth skin and slim waist, and his defined cheekbones and long eyelashes. The picture perfect version of a graceful noble. He was Lady Anne’s favorite. That is why she gave him as a gift to her wonderful son, Harry.”

Louis didn’t dare to even breathe. His eyes were stinging with welled up tears, but he fought his hardest not to blink and cause them to fall. He hated his parents for fucking up his life and giving him this tragic fate, but he also loved them because they were his _parents_!

Harry was done with his story voice. He gripped Louis’ chin with his hand and forced him to raise his head so that they were looking at one another. “You belong to me Louis. You owe my family with your life, which is why you’ll use the rest of it serving us. If you and your siblings had been left on the streets then you would have starved and died. Or even worse, you would have been forced to work in a brothel.”

Louis tries moving his head away, but Harry doesn’t let go. “I take care of you. You’re given three hot meals a day. You get wages. You even get your own chambers. I am not a cruel man, Louis. You were only an innocent pawn to your treacherous parents, which is why you will always be taken care of, sweet boy. But in return you will always remain loyal to me. Do you understand?”

Harry was not going to let go until Louis spoke.

“...Yes. Yes, I understand.”

The noble was pleased, and he helped Louis stand up.

“That’s a good boy. I think you’ve had enough excitement for the day. Have a good washing up, get ready for bed, and then go to my chambers. I’ll send Niall up with some soup.”

Sometimes Harry did this. He let Louis sleep in his big fluffy bed with him. Harry would hold him and they would cuddle. Just for a little while, Louis could pretend that he was a noble himself again, being pampered and loved. It didn’t change the fact that Louis still hated him, but he had to admit that his nights in bed with Harry were what kept him sane.

* * *

“...That fucking bastard. He better not persuade Harry, because I’ll outright refuse.”

Louis hears Zayn speaking to Niall when he comes into the large dining room where Zayn and Niall are polishing the silverware and wine glasses.

“What’s going on?” Louis asks curiously, sitting down at the table rather than helping with the cleaning.

Niall fills him in. “Liam really wants Zayn to come work for him instead of Harry. He keeps trying to ask Harry to allow it.”

Zayn isn’t a servant for life like Louis, but he isn’t totally free like Niall is either. A few years ago he was caught vandalizing the wall of a museum, a museum which was owned by the Styles family. He would have been put in prison for a long time, but Harry came along and actually _liked_ his design. So instead of going to prison, Zayn was working by contract under for Harry five years, two of which he had already served.

That means Harry has the right to send Zayn to work for whomever he wants, and Zayn couldn’t fight it until his contract was completed.

“You know Liam isn’t that bad,” Niall said (Louis disagreed). “I think he likes you a lot Zayn!”

“He does seem like a nice guy,” Zayn admits. “But working for him would suck. You know what happens when you work for someone who’s attached to you. You’re kept under a constant eye, which means you can’t get away with shit. I mean, take Louis for example!”

“It’s true!” Louis agrees. Harry always keeps tabs on him! Louis can’t even have a wee without the annoying noble somehow knowing.

Louis can understand why Zayn doesn’t want to go with Liam. Here at Harry Styles’ manor, Zayn gets away with everything. He can sleep till noon, he always charms the other servants into taking over his tasks for him, and he can even leave the grounds if he pleases. He wouldn’t get to do half of those things at the Payne manor.

“You’re going to have to see him tomorrow,” Niall reminds Zayn. “He’ll obviously be at the party.”

Oh yes, the party. Actually it was technically just a formal get together with a bunch of stuffy nobles, but there would be food and probably music and dancing.

There was also the fact that it was being held at Harry’s parent’s house.

Naturally nobody was looking forward to this, at least none of the servants. Harry was obviously forcing Louis to accompany him, but he was also bringing Niall and Zayn as well. The only thing that had Louis hopeful was the aspect of possibly running into his siblings, that is if any of them are being brought to the party.

“I bet Liam wants to take you to bed,” Louis states out of the blue, and Zayn drops the glass he is wiping down. Niall manages to catch it before it can hit the floor and shatter.

“Excuse me?”

“Well,” Louis shrugs. “Why else would he want you so bad? I mean you’ve never even had a proper conversation with him!”

“As if you’re one to talk,” Zayn scoffs. “Harry takes you to bed all the time!”

Louis looks scandalized.

“We don’t have _sex_!” He shrieks. “I would never, _ever_ , do such a wonderful thing with somebody so ugly and mean!”

“Ugly, no. Mean, sometimes,” Niall corrects him. “Oh and Louis, Harry told me to tell you he needs you in his study immediately.”

There is a pause.

“Niall, I’ve been in here for at least ten minutes. Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

The blond servant shrugs.

Louis gives him the finger as he swiftly exits the room.

* * *

Harry has known Louis since they were both little. He remembers being at a party once when he was quite young. Many loud giggly ladies in ruffly dresses were cooing at him, ruffling his curls and talking about how handsome he was.

As Harry had ran around to escape the many ladies, he’d come face to face with another boy who was shyly clinging to his mother's’ skirts. He was the prettiest boy Harry had ever seen, which was why he’d taken his hand and said, “Let’s escape these scary ladies and go play!”

Over the years he’d encountered Louis every so often, but rarely. When Harry asked why Louis didn’t come to parties often, Anne had explained that the Tomlinsons were protective and kept their children quite sheltered. They planned to marry all of their children off one day, Anne had said, and they even saw Harry as a potential husband for Louis in the future.

Despite this, the oldest Tomlinson child rarely left his home. It made Harry upset, but there was nothing he could do at the time.

But now, Harry thought smugly to himself, he got to see Louis everyday. Harry had been ecstatic when his mother gave him Louis. The poor ex-noble had been in a state of shock at being forced out of his home, separated from his siblings, and then reduced to a level below servitude. He had never so much as cleaned a window before, which made it amusing watching him get through his first week of work.

At first Louis had been so shy and meek, cheeks constantly full of blush whenever someone so much as looked at him, barely speaking without stuttering. But then once Harry started to tease and pester him, a whole new and hilarious side of Louis emerged. The noble still remembered the first time Louis had swore and threw a potato at his head, which had given Harry the idea of making him peel them for a punishment. It was still effective to this day.

“You wanted to see me?”

Harry turns around and see’s Louis. This is good, because Louis is late and Harry was beginning to think that Louis wasn’t going to come, and he didn’t really feel like punishing Louis today.

“Yes, I need another pair of eyes to look over these plans,” Harry says.

One thing that does put Louis above the rest of the servants is his education. He was fully literate, could speak French, and could do arithmancy easy in his head. That was definitely one of the perks of having an ex-noble as a servant. Most commoners couldn’t afford schooling, and as a result they could not read or write.

Louis sits himself on top of Harry’s desk and reads the papers that are given to him.

“They’re alright,” Louis says indifferently. “But you should change the rate of the production during springtime. Most people will be hunting their food, so you’d be losing a profit.”

Harry has been trying to work on a way to help out the commoners. So many are starving, especially during the winter season. Their country is a very rich and agricultural one, but the only problem is that the nobles own all of the good farmland. Instead of distributing the food to the commoners, they sell it to different countries in order to gain more money.

Harry takes the plans back and changes a few things. “How’s this?”

Louis looks again. “Not bad.”

“Excellent,” Harry smiles. “You know, your sisters are going to be at the party. If you behave yourself I might let you talk to them.”

Harry can see Louis freeze up, and he smirks. Now he has something to hold over Louis. Of course he already has so many other things that he holds over Louis. His very freedom, for instance.

“Is there anything else you need?” Louis asks after a moment.

“Hmmm,” Harry ponders. “As a matter of fact, yes. Go fetch me a bowl of grapes. Then I want you to give me a shoulder massage while I eat them.”

By the look on Louis’ face it is clear he doesn’t want to give Harry a massage, but he reluctantly nods his head. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Harry knows he is being cruel, using power in order to control Louis. But that was the way he was raised since birth. Harry’s father once told him he could have anything he wanted if he could find out a way to control it. Louis was a clear example of that.

Even though Louis is a servant, he did live as a noble most of his life. Despite this, he didn’t show any qualities of one aside from appearance and education. He seemed to hold no want for power, just freedom. This was because Louis was kept far too sheltered by his parents. He was merely a delicate angel at the time of his nobility, and Harry still thinks he is.

Maybe using power as a form of manipulation is morally wrong, but Harry is a noble. He has permission to, permission that he has given to himself.

It works too, because as of right now, Harry has everything he wants.


	2. The Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet nobody expected me to continue this. Surprise!

Even as big and fancy as Harry’s manor was, it was like a cottage in comparison to his parent’s home. Their estate flourished brightly just on the edge of the city, surrounded by an impressive iron fence and hundreds of acres filled with rich soil. Louis was already vaguely familiar with the place, as he had attended several parties here as a young boy. 

 

How ironic it was, to be here once again, but in such a degraded position. The ballroom was packed with nobles. Some of them Louis recognized, others he had never seen before. His parents had attended many parties, but had only brought Louis to a low number in comparison. Despite this, his parents had kept him well educated on the noble families of their country. 

 

“I just don’t get it,” Zayn’s unimpressed monotone stirred Louis away from his thoughts. “How boring it must be, to attend parties like these all the time. It’s just dancing and eating.”

 

The three servants, Zayn, Niall, and Louis, stood near one of the refreshment tables watching the nobles have a merry time together. Louis was trying to avoid Harry and look for any of his sisters, both difficult tasks to put into action.

 

“Those are both great things Zayn!” Niall said, biting a strawberry stuffed pastry.

 

“I see where he’s coming from,” Louis lightly disagreed with the irish man. “Mother always told me that pleasantries are the last thing these nobles are really here for, once they reach a certain age. They’re here to size one another up.”

 

Zayn hummed. “That makes more sense. They find out who has the most money, who has the most power and influence, who is most worthy to promise their sons and daughters to…”

 

“Exactly right,” Louis agreed. He left the conversation though, his interest perked as he saw a beautiful noble women enter the room. She had long brown hair braided complicatedly, and was decked out in a gown full of ruffles and expensive fabric. Diamond jewelry hung from her neck, ears, and wrists. 

 

It was Lady Eleanor Calder. 

 

Louis’ interests were not on Calder herself, but on two younger girls behind her. His face and hands felt cold, dress shirt too tight and confining, as he watched his two sisters from afar. They were walking into the crowd and away from his general direction. Just as Louis was about to follow, an unfortunate obstacle got in his way. 

 

“There you are,” Harry said, catching Louis by the elbow. “It’s a very large party tonight, I don’t want you leaving my side. Come along, there’s someone we must say hello to.”

 

Harry looked like the perfect noble in his fancy suit, cufflinks, and spotless dress shoes. His curly hair fell against his shoulders perfectly, and his green eyes sparkled with the reflection of the ballroom chandelier. 

 

“Mother,” Harry greeted her. “How lovely it is to see you again. Just as usual, you’ve outdone yourself tonight.”

 

Lady Anne smiled as she kissed her son’s cheek. “Harry, my darling, I’m so thrilled that you made it.”

 

“I would never miss one of your parties,” Harry assured her. 

 

Harry stepped back, his hand curling around Louis’ waist. It might have looked friendly, but in truth it was a showing of ownership. 

 

Louis pulled away from Harry, kneeling down on one knee with his head bowed. If he were still a noble, he might have kissed her hand, but he was in no such position to now, nor would he want to. 

 

“My Lady,” He murmured, forcing his voice to sound as respectful as possible.

 

“Louis, my lovely boy,” She greeted him as if they were close friends, eyes glinting with something akin to excitement. “You look very well. It appears that my son has been taking good care of you.”

 

Louis felt bile rise into his throat as he stood. “Yes ma’am.”

 

“Oh how wonderful,” Lady Anne continued to smile at him. “Have you had the chance to speak to your sisters yet? Lady Eleanor has brought Charlotte and  Félicité in attendance. Both seem to be growing up beautifully.”

 

“No ma’am,” Louis answered quietly, heart aching to speak to them. 

 

His sisters meant the world to him. They’d shared secrets, laughed, played, and grown up together. Louis’ parents, ever the sheltering type, had kept him living in the nursery room with his sisters up until he was sixteen years of age...and even then, his mother had been hesitant about giving Louis his own room. It was just as well, for Louis could never sleep the same once he’d left the nursery and had to spend his nights alone. 

 

“You’ll see them I’m sure,” Lady Anne said. “You will see Daisy and Phoebe as well. They shall be performing later.”

 

Performing what, Louis did not get to find out, because Harry soon dragged him away as he mingled with other guests of the party. Louis grew mortified every time a noble recognized him, and it did not help when Harry introduced him to everyone as a servant. 

 

Thankfully, Louis was saved when a few young ladies began to ask Harry to dance. Being ever the gentlemen, he accepted, allowing Louis to escape. 

 

It was then that he saw her, standing by a window alone. She wore a modest calico dress and white apron with no jewelry, looking nothing at all like the noble ladies, but still just as beautiful, if not more so. She was obviously a servant, but to Louis, she was obviously his sister.

 

“Lottie,” Louis spoke quietly, trying to contain the tremble in his speech as he rushed toward her. The girl’s eyes widened, mouth popping open. Before Louis could register anything more, her arms were wrapped around him in a warm embrace. 

 

“Brother!” She said excitedly. “Oh Louis...how I’ve missed you!” 

 

They both were crying, tears mixed with happiness and anguish as they regarded one another. 

 

“You look so beautiful...finally a proper lady,” Louis complimented her, speaking nothing but the truth. 

 

She flushed pleasantly. “I am fifteen years now. You look beautiful too...I expected you might be rougher from work, but you’re just the same as before, positively brilliant!”

 

Louis was now flushing too. “I’m a house servant, so my work isn’t rough. Oh Lottie, how are you getting along? Is Lady Calder as snobby as the rest of these ladies?”

 

“Lady Calder treats us well. I clean the house at times, but I mostly help Mistress with her hair, makeup, and dress. She boasts about my skills to everyone! As for Félicité, she does much more of the housework, though she has been granted permission to take her studies further at a ladies’ university this summer. She is so intelligent!”

 

“That is absolutely wonderful,” Louis told her, pleased for his sisters. He had dreaded them being treated harshly, but it seemed that they were living privileged lives for people in their position. 

 

“But what of you, Brother? Is Lord Harry treating you well?”

 

Louis resisted a snort. “I suppose, though he’s quite the arrogant bastard.”

 

Lottie’s eyes widened at his filthy language, but she laughed. “Aren’t all noble men like that?”

 

“Lotts, he makes me peel potatoes when I argue.”

 

“Potatoes? Really?”

 

The siblings giggled together, and for a moment it felt like the old days. Unfortunately for Louis, their joyous time was interrupted by one of his most hated nobles. 

 

“Hey there Tommo!” Liam placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. “Enjoying the party? Oh my, is this your sister?”

 

Louis felt no shame in pushing the hand off him. “Good evening, Lord Payne. Yes, this is my sister Charlotte. We’re actually in the middle of a conversation, so if you could be so kind as to-”

 

“Perfect, I would like a conversation as well!” Liam paid his words no mind, dragging a furious Louis away from his sister. When they were a good distance away, he let go of Louis’ arm and turned to face him. 

 

“Noble or not, it was rude to interrupt my conversation!” Louis said through a glare. It was quite disrespectful of him to talk in such a way, but he knew Liam wouldn’t backhand him. 

 

“Oh,” Liam’s eyebrows drew together. “Sorry, I was excited. You see, I have something to ask of you.”

 

Louis silently scoffed. “What could you possible want from  _ me _ ?”

 

Liam was blunt as he said, “I need your help in convincing your master to send Zayn Malik to work at my estate. Harry listens to you, so surely between both of our requests, he’ll see to granting it.”

 

Unable to contain himself, Louis actually laughed. “Seriously? I can't believe the gall of you. First of all, Zayn is my friend, and I know for a fact that he doesn’t want to leave! Secondly, I’d never help you, not in a million years. Thirdly, Harry doesn’t listen to me, he only orders me around!”

 

He ran out of breath, much to Liam’s relief, since he had been trying to shush Louis because the servant was attracting unwanted attention. 

 

“Easy Tommo, just listen for a second!” He said, voice quiet but urgent. “Zayn would be so happy at my place, I would hardly work him at all!”

 

“Then why do you want him?”

 

“Well, his working contract is up in three years. Then I’ll be able to properly court him. If I get to know him before hand, it’ll make the process much easier.”

 

“Woah, back up!” Louis’ mouth dropped open. “You want to court him? But Zayn is a commoner!”

 

“Actually, Zayn is of noble blood,” Liam corrected him. “It was his mother’s decision to leave the noble life and reside among the less fortunate. Zayn went with her, he’s still considered of noble blood since he left as a young child, even if his mother’s title is annulled.”

 

“What, seriously?” Louis was appalled. Why had Zayn never mentioned this to him? Was he even aware of his status?

 

“Yeah,” Liam said. “So once his sentence is carried out with Harry, he’ll be eligible to be courted. He’s so beautiful, and his talent for art is purely irradiant. I want him.”

 

“Stop talking about him like he’s an object,” Lousi said sharply. “I still stand by what I said...I wouldn’t help you in a million years!”

 

“I forgot how mouthy you can be, when your master isn’t around to control you,” Liam said with a frown, and then sighed. “Look Louis, we can make a deal. You do this to help me, and I’ll do something to help you.”

 

“You would do something to help me?”

 

“Right,” Liam said. “If you promise to help me convince Harry to have Zayn work for me.”

 

“Hmm,” Louis pretended to think slow and hard, though an idea had already popped into his head. “Well, perhaps I could talk to Hazza about it, if you help me get my freedom.”

 

“Wait, what?” Liam’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “I can’t do that!”

 

Louis raised his chin in the air. “Then there’s no deal.”

 

“I want to get the annulment of my nobility, well,  _ annulled _ ,” Louis said when Liam didn't respond right away. “And I know it’s possible! A noble has to write a form requesting so, and then the matter is brought to court...if a number of nobles agree, then it gets passed! You’re a noble Payne, so you can help!”

 

Liam grimaced. “That’s a very hard thing to do, Tommo. There would be no guarantee...and if Harry found out, he’d be furious.”

 

“I know,” Louis resisted from clinging onto Liam’s arm. “All I’m asking if that you try...please? My sisters and I should have the right to earn back our titles...we really had no idea what our parents were planning.”

 

“Everyone knows of your innocence,” Liam said. “There still stands the fact that your parents put shame on your names and bloodline...those sort of things usually stay permanent. Even if it is approved for court, it’s highly unlikely that it’d be passed.”

 

“Just try,” Louis repeated. “And I shall persuade my master to have Zayn work for you.”

 

“Alright,” Liam finally relented, smiling. “You’re not so bad, you know? If your parents hadn’t planned to kill Harry’s parents, my own parents, and half the other nobles in this country, then I’m sure we would have been great friends.”

 

Louis rolled his eyes. “Good to know.”

 

“People always talked about you, even before your parent’s crimes. Your parents were so secretive of you and your siblings. Everyone was eager to have their children marry one of you. You know Harry would have been your husband?”

 

“I’m aware,” Louis gritted his teeth. “Thank God that didn’t happen. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to find my sisters.”

 

Louis didn’t have to look far, as soon silence was called upon the entire ballroom. Lady Anne was the focus on attention as she made an announcement to the crowd. 

 

“I now present to you Daisy and Phoebe Tomlinson, servants of the Styles Estate, to be performing three songs.”

 

Two precious little girls, Louis’ young twin sisters, were stood next to a grand piano. They held hands, expressions soft and gentle. While the piano master played a song, they began to sing, their sweet voices bringing the audience to an awe. 

 

Louis was unable to stop himself from crying this time. Everything was unfair. His sisters were being put on display like little palace pets. No longer were the Tomlinson children hidden away. They were out in the open, to be gossiped about and looked down upon. Louis wanted more than anything to steal each of his siblings away, and to flee the country. It was a good dream, but an impossible one. 

 

Louis saw Harry close by, walking towards him, but he quickly slipped away through the crowd. He did not want to face a Styles member for the time being, if he could help it. A few noble ladies sneered at a servant pushing past them, but he was too quick to hear their fuss. 

 

Finally, the young servant made it to an open balcony. He could hear clapping as the twins finished one of their songs. He needed a moment to compose himself, in the peaceful night air.

 

“Louis?” A timid voice spoke, startling him. Louis turned around, only to be even more surprised. 

 

“Fiz,” He swallowed, squinting to get a better look at the girl in the moonlight. She wore a dress similar to Lottie’s, and goodness had she grown in a year! She was almost as tall as Louis now.  Félicité looked absolutely gorgeous, as much of a young lady as Charlotte appeared to be.

 

“I saw you talking to Lottie,” Fizzy still spoke quietly, voice wavering slightly. “I wanted to join, but Mistress Calder needed me at her convenience. I...I’ve missed you!”

 

“Come here Love,” Louis hugged her tightly, blinking away fresh tears. “Oh Fiz, how I’ve missed you too!”

 

Unlike Louis and Lottie, they didn’t babble in conversation. Instead, they linked arms and sat on the balcony edge, Fizzy’s head leaning on her brother’s shoulder comfortably. They basked in silent understanding together, each mourning the loss at what they’d once had, but rejoicing at their reunion. 

 

“I heard you’re expanding your education,” Louis finally spoke. “Is this true? Has Lady Calder granted you permission to attend a university?”

 

“It is true,” Félicité replied. “Although Lady Calder was reluctant, she understood how foolish it would be to keep me from learning, after seeing my talent and eagerness to learn. I will only be gone for three months, and then I will return to resume my work at her manor.”

 

“It is wonderful though,” Louis said. “You’ll be a properly educated woman.”

 

“Indeed,” Félicité was pleased. “I will advance in skills of ladyship, court, reading, writing, and arithmetic...even science. Mother would be pleased, to find out that the things our private tutors taught me will not go to waste.”

 

“She would be pleased,” Louis admitted. Their mother had seen well to their education since before they were old enough to talk. Louis’ penmanship, critical thinking skills, and intelligence matched any noble’s here tonight, he knew for sure. It only made him hate them more, being able to understand them so well.

 

He took her hand. “I’m very proud of you Fizzy, for being so strong while being in such a horrific situation.”

 

They talked for a little while longer before Zayn came to find them. 

 

“There you are,” He said. “You’d best come back inside Louis. Harry’s been looking all over for you. He’s beginning to grow aggravated.”

 

Louis sighed, patting his sister’s head and standing up. “Very well, God forbid the master throw a tantrum.”

 

“Is this your sister?” Zayn asked, bowing to one knee. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.”

 

Fizzy giggled at being addressed in such a fancy manor. Louis watched Zayn fondly, but then felt his insides twist with guilt as he remembered his conversation (and deal) with Liam. Would his dear friend ever forgive him?

 

Once inside, Felicite returned to Calder while Louis went with Zayn to find Harry. It didn’t take very long, as Harry caught sight of them once they’d come back inside. They must have been outside a while, for the ballroom crowd had dwindled to half of what it had once been. 

 

“The party is ending soon,” Harry informed him. “I’m very tired, and Mother already has my room prepared. We shall go there now.”

 

“My sisters,” Louis realized, eyes growing wider. “Daisy and Phoebe, I haven’t had the chance to speak with them.”

 

Harry looked at him. “It’s past midnight. They went straight to bed after their performance. You would have known this, had you stayed to watch them sing.”

 

Louis certainly wasn’t going to have this conversation with Harry. He kept his mouth tightly shut, though his heart pounded as his master studied him while they walked down the many winding halls of the manor to Harry’s childhood chambers.

 

“You spoke to Charlotte and Felicite,” Harry pointed out. “Surely you must feel grateful, being able to speak to them by yourself?”

 

Louis saw red. “I have every right to speak to them freely.”

 

“You have no rights, those belong to me,” Harry reminded him. “I hesitate to bring you to any parties in the future. You’re unable to cope properly, and I can’t have you in such distress.”

 

Louis looked down at the floor and muttered, “I want my sisters. I miss them.”  
  


Harry regarded him for a moment, an actual frown on his face. “Of course you miss them,” he agreed. “But now you know that they are doing well. You shall draw me a bath, and then afterwards I will read to you any book of your choosing from my bedroom. My bookshelf is filled with books from my childhood and adolescence.”

 

“I can just read one myself,” Louis pointed out, relaxing slightly as Harry ran his fingers through his hair. They reached Harry’s chambers now. 

 

“Evening Lord and Sir,” An elderly servant greeted them. “You bed has been warmed, and a bath has been drawn. If anything else is needed, please call for me.”

 

“I suppose that saves you the work of drawing a bath,” Harry said. “Come help me wash, and then you may bathe in the tub yourself afterwards.”

 

There was something therapeutic to Louis about washing Harry’s hair. His thick curly hair felt soft and comforting under his fingers as he lathered the locks with soap and hot water. Louis had to contain the coil of warmth in his belly upon seeing his master bare skinned (he had plenty times before). 

 

“My own sister could not make it tonight,” Harry said suddenly as Louis rinsed his hair. “I miss her as well. Perhaps a visit to her manor is in order. You would accompany me.”

 

Louis’ heart lept at the suggestion. Harry’s sister Gemma had his two youngest siblings, the baby twins! His fingers paused through Harry’s hands for a moment, but then he continued to rub away the soap once again. 

 

“...I think that is a good idea,” He finally told Harry, trying his best to act nonchalant. 

 

Louis helped his master dry off before climbing into the bath himself. The water was still warm, and he sighed in comfort, ducking his head under the water and feeling the sweat and dirt of the party leave his face. 

 

He startled when slender fingers began to move through his hair, working soap throughout it. It had been so long since he’d had assistance with bathing. When he was still a noble, he was always bathed and dressed with assistance at hand. It was something that he’d never thought about until becoming a servant, and then he’d realized how much he missed it.

 

“Why are you helping me bathe?” He murmured, eyes closing at the nice feeling. 

 

“Even if you are overwrought from the party, I cannot deny that you demonstrated good behavior, showing nothing but utmost respect to my mother and the other nobles here. You deserve a reward.”

 

Louis stayed quiet, but he didn’t resist the pamperment. He tried to imagine what would happen if Lord Payne stayed true to his word. Perhaps Louis would actually gain his title back, or at least his freedom. 

 

He imagined what he would do with freedom alone. First of all, he would retrieve all of his siblings and take them far away from here. They would go to the countryside, perhaps by the ocean or a lake. They would live quiet and peacefully, as a family. There would be no court, deceiving, drama, or servitude. 

 

Of course, Liam wouldn’t help Louis unless he stayed true to his end of the deal. 

 

“I spoke to Lord Payne at the party today,” He admitted, once his head had been dunked under to rise the soap. 

 

“Yes, I saw you speaking to him,” Harry said. “I was going to ask you about it.”

 

Louis groaned internally; of course Harry had seen their interaction. He always kept tabs on his servant! He prayed that Harry hadn’t heard their actual conversation, or he was doomed. 

 

“We were talking about Zayn.”

 

“Zayn?” Harry blinked. 

 

“That’s right,” Louis nodded. “He wants Zayn to work for him.”

 

“I’m aware of his wish,” Harry said. “Liam is a dear friend of mine. I have been considering allowing Zayn to work there, if he has no qualms about doing so.”

 

Louis cringed, as he knew for certain that Zayn had qualms about working for Payne. He took a deep breath and said, “Well, I think it would be good.”

 

That of course caught the noble off guard. 

 

“Is that so,” He frowned. “This surprises me. You dislike Liam...you’ve made that obvious enough in the past. Why on earth would you approve of his request?”

 

Louis panicked, he was being too obvious! He had to think of something fast in order to fix this. 

 

“Well, of course I hate Lord Payne.” He said, holding his chin up higher. “But Zayn is my good friend, and I know for a fact that he likes him.”

 

Harry looked unconvinced. “You’re saying that Zayn fancies Liam?”

“Y-Yes,” Louis said, feeling like utter trash. “He’s just very shy about it. You know how evasive he can be…”

 

“I suppose I shall take that into account,” Harry said, eyebrows still narrowed. “Come now, the water is getting cold.”

 

Louis was the worst friend ever. In fact, he was no better than any of the nobles here. He was a dishonest liar deceiving someone whom he considered to be his friend...all because of his own selfish need for freedom.

 

But was it truly so selfish, and was it truly a good enough excuse to throw his friend and fellow servant under the bus?

 

Louis wasn’t so sure anymore. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please take a moment of your time to leave feedback. It would encourage me greatly!


	3. The Mistake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was working on my other fics, but then I came back to this one and couldn't stop writing. 
> 
> Enjoy! <3

“There’s a lot of work to do,” Niall told Louis. “We have to make sure the manor is well equipped for the season.”

 

December was fast approaching, which meant that the manor needed to be prepared for the winter season. The thin springtime curtains of all the windows needed to be removed and replaced with thicker ones to withstand the cold. It was the same case with the sheets and bedspreads. Unfortunately Harry’s manor was quite large, with hundreds of windows and dozens of beds. It would take a long time to do. 

 

A few maids worked on washing the windows and fixing the curtains, much to Louis’ relief. He would instead be working in Harry’s chambers, fixing it for winter and putting away his thinner clothes, replacing them with warmer winter garments. 

 

It was particularly cold outside, snow being expected that night, but Harry’s chambers were warmed by the roaring fireplace. Harry sat at his desk in the study connected to the bedroom, seemingly writing letters. 

 

“Lord Payne is coming tomorrow, to bring Zayn to his own estate.”

 

Louis almost dropped the set of coats he was carrying to the wardrobe, turning quickly to face his master. “O-Oh, so soon? The party was only a week ago.”

 

Harry shrugged, putting his quill down. “Yes, well, I don’t want to keep my dear friend waiting.”

 

“Right,” Louis muttered. “Does Zayn know yet?”

 

“I plan to tell him soon,” Harry said with a sigh. “It’s a shame, Zayn has helped me out a lot here. I expect I’ll have both him and Liam over frequently in a few years’ time, once Zayn’s nobility is reestablished and they both wed.”

 

Louis pretty much choked on air. “You know about Zayn’s status?”

 

“Of course, why do you think he got such a light sentence?” Harry replied. “That, and his artwork is one of a kind. Once you told me about Liam fancying Zayn, his plan to wed him was quite obvious. They will make a fine, powerful couple someday.”

 

Louis was still too shocked to reply, numbly stuffing unneeded clothes into storage chests. 

 

“We would have made a fine couple too,” Harry suddenly stated, not ready to drop the subject just yet. “Tell me Louis, do you remember the day your parents’ plans were found?

 

Louis stared at Harry mutely. He couldn’t remember that day too well, it had been very overwhelming, leaving him in shock for most of it. 

 

“It was during a visit from my parents and I. We were going to discuss my plans to court and then wed you. Your parents had already agreed of course, since they wanted the best for you, and that was exactly what I was.”

 

Louis vaguely remembered his parents mentioning it to him.  _ “Lord and Lady Styles’ son will take very good care of you,” _ His mother had once told him.  _ “He is a very powerful young man, and has shown that he will make a fine husband for you.” _

 

“Of course, then we discovered what kind of people your parents really were.” 

 

Harry’s words drew Louis from his memory, and he flinched. 

 

“They were quite devious,” Harry continued, and stood up to come closer. “It was too bad, really, especially for you. Had we actually wedded, you would be absolutely spoiled. Tell me love, do you still long for such a thing? Do you dream about it, and wish for it?”

 

“The only thing I wish for is to be free of  _ your _ reign,” Louis spat, glaring with as much venom as he could. 

 

Something flashed behind Harry’s eyes. “Is that so? I still don’t understand why you refuse to be grateful. Do I need to remind you that if not for my mother’s suggestion, and my agreement to take you in, you would be dead by now?”

 

Harry’s green eyes bore into his, and Louis stared right back. The surge of anger had passed him, and he broke the gaze and looked down, feeling small and powerless in comparison to the man who stood before him.

 

“Perhaps that would have been better. What is a life, after all, if it can not be lived in happiness?”

 

There was no response given to Louis’ words, and the seconds ticked by in an eery silence. 

 

“That’s a selfish thing to say,” Harry finally stated coldly. 

 

“Selfish?” Louis’ mouth dropped open in disbelief. “You think I’m selfish? I lost  _ everything _ , don’t you understand that? Everything. Even worse, so have my siblings. The youngest are only three, and they have already lost their childish innocence. Our parents are dead. I should be raising them, but instead I’m doing housework for the most arrogant bastard in the kingdom, while Doris and Ernest cry for our Mum, while Daisy and Phoebe are put on display singing for arrogant nobles, while Lottie tends to another woman’s fashion instead of her own, and while Fizzy has to do housework by day and study by night. I hate your parents, I hate your sister, but most of all I hate  _ you _ Harry Styles,  _ you _ !”

Louis had grown to shouting so loudly, he was sure that practically everyone in the entire manor could hear him. He talked back often, yes, but never so intensely like this. 

 

Because he was so frail, despite a year's’ time of working to strengthen him, Louis grew sick from the intensity of everything, the walls spinning around him. He had never spoken with such anger before. Hell, he had never been able to put his feelings into such accurate words before. 

 

Harry’s eyes were a dangerously dark color. He strided forward so that they were only centimeters apart. For the first time in awhile, Louis actually felt scared. Harry looked angry enough to strike him. 

 

He raised a hand up, and Louis flinched. Instead of being slapped, Louis’ chin was taken a hold of by his master.

 

“You’ll learn your place, one day.”

 

Louis jerked his head away. 

 

"No. You're wrong."

  
  


* * *

 

Louis did not speak to Harry the following morning, and Harry did not speak to him either. He brought the master his breakfast in a cold silence, moving on quickly to do his morning chores of the manor. 

 

Liam arrived promptly at noon. This also happened to be the time that Harry broke the news to Zayn about his switch of workplaces. 

 

“Zayn, please come to my chambers. I have some important news to break to you. As for the rest of you, see that Lord Payne is accommodated to in the parlor.”

 

Zayn looked both curious and slightly apprehensive (rightfully so) as he followed Harry upstairs. Louis already felt his heart beating fast, knowing his friend was going to be getting the worst news of his life thanks to him. 

 

“I’ll prepare tea, you let in Payne?” Niall suggested. “Or we can swap, I know you don’t really get on with him.”

 

“I’ll let him in,” Louis confirmed quickly. If he acted quickly, he and Liam might get a moment alone to discuss their promise. Hopefully Liam looked into things as Louis had requested. Perhaps he had even already filed the petition! No, Louis was sure that he had. After all, he had gotten Zayn, so it would only be fair.

 

“Lord Payne,” Louis nodded in acknowledgement as he opened the door. “May I take your wrappings?”

 

“Hi Tommo,” Liam greeted, shedding his coat and hat and handing them over. He looked quite cheerful, probably eager to have Zayn to himself. 

 

Louis hung the coat on the rack. “Follow me to the parlor? Niall’s bringing tea, and the master will be down shortly. He’s talking to Zayn right now…”

 

“Ah, of course, of course!” Liam followed Louis down the hall and into the guest parlor. Liam sat down in his favorite chair, and Louis hurried to shut the door. Once he was sure that they could not be heard, he plopped himself down onto the couch and eyed the noble eagerly. 

 

“Well?” Louis prompted after a moment, as Liam had yet to look him in the eye, instead choosing to admire a few paintings on the walls. “Any progress so far?”

 

“Ah, w-well,  _ no _ , not exactly,” Liam grew flustered. 

 

Louis’ hopeful grin began to falter. “What do you mean? You haven’t filed for the annulment yet?”

 

“Listen to me Louis,” Liam said, very seriously. “I can’t.”

 

“But, we had a deal!” Louis reminded him, his hands beginning to shake with anxiousness. “You get Zayn, I get freedom. Remember?”

 

Liam actually had the gall to look guilty, wringing his hands together tightly. “Yes, well, about that...it’s not possible Louis. I looked further into this sort of thing, and you got it wrong. While it is possible for a noble’s annulment to get invalidated, the request form has to come from the noble family responsible for him or her.”

 

Louis stared back uncomprehendingly. “What do you mean?”

 

“I mean that someone from the Styles family would have to request your freedom.”

 

“But...but the law is-”

 

“You had the law wrong,” Liam said quietly, resting a firm hand on his shoulder. “Listen Louis, I’m sorry, okay? Your whole situation is just dreadful….but you just have to get through it. Good things come to people who have patience and endurance, yeah?”

 

Louis glared coldly. “ _ Fuck _ you, Payne. You’re just like all the others...Now that you’ve gotten your end of the deal, nothing else matters to you.”

 

“Come on, that isn’t true Louis-” 

 

“Whatever, it was my mistake in listening to you in the first place.”

 

Without giving Liam to chance to try and offer another pathetic excuse, Louis turned on his heel and swiftly left the room. He had truly mucked up this time, losing himself one of his closest friends, and for nothing. 

 

On the way back, he met Zayn in the hallway. He held a small suitcase with the little amount of possessions he owned. He looked so angry, Louis had never seen that look in his friend’s eyes before. 

 

“Zayn, are you-”

 

“I got some interesting news,” Zayn interrupted him quietly. “Harry told me why he decided to hand me over to Liam. He said that he was following  _ your _ advice….”

 

Louis’ heart skipped a beat. “Zayn, I can explai-”

 

“I don’t want your explanations,” Zayn said coldly. “I saw Liam talking to you at the party, and now I know what it was about. You nobles are all the same, and I get that. I hope you got whatever was promised to you.”

 

Everything was too overwhelming. Louis was furious at Harry, devastated with Liam, and guilty about Zayn. 

 

Louis went back to his crammed and cold chambers, the bed unusually neat and from all the nights he had spent in Harry’s bed instead. He wouldn’t be sleeping in that noble’s bed anymore though, no matter how warm Harry was, or how soft his bed was. It didn’t matter that with his eyes closed, he could almost pretend Harry’s bed was his own. 

 

It didn’t matter. 

 

* * *

 

When Niall found out the reason for Zayn’s departure, he held nothing back. 

 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” He asked, cornering Louis that evening as dinnertime approached. “Why the hell would you betray Zayn like that? What the fuck!”

 

Louis was silent, letting him yell. He deserved it fully, after all. When he finally stopped yelling, the Irishman just sighed angrily and shook his head.

 

“Whatever. Don’t expect any favors from me Tomlinson.”

 

Harry was particularly nasty at dinner. Louis, who was still furious with him, struggled to pour the wine into his master’s glass. His hands trembled and he accidently knocked the glass over. 

 

“Clean it up!” Harry snapped, slamming his fork down and making Louis jump. He probably thought that Louis did it on purpose. 

 

Niall, in the middle of bringing out the second course, did nothing to help as Louis slowly wiped up the pool of red wine on the table. Once he was finished cleaning up the mess, he stood to Harry’s right as he usually had to do when the master ate dinner. He had to refrain from throwing up the entire time, stomach heavy and sick with stress. 

 

Niall asked for Harry’s permission to take an evening trip into town, which left Louis with the task of clearing the table and doing the dishes by himself. He didn’t bother eating any of the leftovers remaining. There was no way he would be able to handle food right now. 

 

The rest of the evening chores passed slowly, and Louis completed them robotically. When it came time for rest, he found himself unable to sleep in his bed. Hell, he wouldn’t even able to sleep period. This day had been utter hell, and it was all his fault. 

 

Louis didn’t normally go outside, especially at night. The manor was too lonely to bear though. Of course he couldn’t leave the property, but that didn’t stop Louis from entering the stables. 

 

Louis used to ride sometimes when he was still of nobility, but his overprotective parents never let him ride by himself, only with a stable hand holding the large creature with a lead. It was still nice to watch the magnificent animals now though. Harry had around ten horses, all of perfectly bred quality. There were also several cows that gave the household sweet milk and butter as well. 

 

The stables were comfortable and vacant of any other workers due to the late hour. Louis spent his time absentmindedly petting the animals in their stalls, but eventually he moved to climb up to the loft. 

 

The moonlight glowed through the loft windows, and Louis admired the view. Harry had a lot of land, most of which was used for farming. There were a lot of servants who worked in the field. Louis knew the work was hard, but he almost envied them, being among the fresh air and far away from Harry. They probably barely even spoke to Harry, save for when they were paid. 

 

A stray barn cat curled up in a makeshift nest of hay and scrap cloths, surrounded by five tiny kittens. Louis gently pet them while he looked out at the moon and the land. 

 

The followings days continued the same way. Harry did not talk to Louis, he simply gave him cold empty orders. There was no teasing or gentle touches. Niall wasn’t speaking to Louis either, and neither were many of the other working servants. Word travelled fast around the manor, and everyone knew that Louis had been the cause of Zayn’s departure….his departure to someone whom the artist loathed. 

 

Louis completed his chores in the same slow routine, only now his nights and any spare time were spent at the stables. It was colder now, but still bearable enough to sleep. Harry had snidely complained about the hay smell once, but he didn’t forbid Louis from going back to the stables. 

 

He felt so alone. Louis had wanted to write letters to his sisters, but since he wasn’t allowed in town he relied on other people, like Niall, to mail the letters for him. That was certainly not happening anytime soon. Instead, Louis filled pieces of stolen scrap paper from Harry’s desk with  _ potential _ letters. 

 

He wrote to nobody about what he had done, how he was feeling, and wondering if he could fix it.

 

He wrote to his dead father, asking how he could be so selfish and give his children such a wretched fate, cursing him for ruining their lives. 

 

He wrote to his dead mother, telling her how disappointed he was, both at her and himself, for he was unable to stop loving her even though she had done something terrible.  

 

He wrote to Zayn, apologizing and explaining that he had been thoughtless and greedy with the thought of freedom. 

 

He wrote to Felicite about school, offering advice on what classes to take and any other helpful information he could think of. 

 

He wrote to Lottie, telling her what a gorgeous young lady she was and saying that he forbade her from taking an interest in any suitors. 

 

He wrote to Daisy and Phoebe, telling them how lovely their voices were, and informing them about how badly he wanted to snatch them away and live somewhere warm, by a beach. 

 

He even wrote to the babies, in the simplest words that he could, even though they were too young to read. 

 

All of the letters stayed stuffed under a hay pile in the loft, next to the mother cat and her kittens, who were just starting to open their eyes. Sometimes Louis brought the mother a saucer of warm milk and bits of chicken to eat, so that she wouldn’t have to leave her kittens to catch mice. 

 

The nights grew colder as the season of winter became more prominent. Louis brought his blanket with him to sleep, and an extra one for the cats. He liked to pretend that taking care of them was practice, for when he would someday have custody over his siblings again. He was managing to keep the cats warm and fed against the cold, and it was something that helped ease his guilt just by a tiny fraction.

 

But there was still a lot of guilt. 

 

* * *

 

Two weeks into December, Louis fell ill. It started with a sudden bout of dizziness when he got out of bed. Having accidently overslept, he only had time to splash his face and throw on some new work clothes. It took twice as long to complete his morning chores, his muscles weakened. His throat ached and his nose ran, a constant buzzing in his ears.

 

“You alright Lou?” Niall asked, actually sounding concerned as he finished loading the master’s breakfast onto a tray. 

 

“Mmm,” Louis hummed in affirmation, his throat too sore to really speak. He took the tray, which felt ten times more heavier than usual, and set out to take the journey upstairs. 

 

Harry, who was already awake, took one look at him and knew that something was wrong. 

 

“Louis, what hurts?” He questioned, taking the tray from his hands and setting it aside. He then went about pressing his hands to Louis’ cheeks and forehead, presumably searching for a fever. 

 

The climb up the steep stairs had made everything worse. Louis tried to focus on Harry, on the words, but that was too hard, as he was seeing double of his master’s eyes and nose. The walls of the room seemed alive and spinning. 

 

Harry immediately instructed prompt bed rest. Louis, feeling too unwell to protest, was dressed in one of Harry’s nightshirts and put in his big fluffy bed, burrowed in blankets and pillows. 

 

It only got worse throughout the day. Within twenty four hours, a really bad fever set in. Louis tossed and turned, skin feeling clammy and cold despite burning up. Harry, Niall, and a few other servants took turns trying to get as much water as they could down his throat, which was a difficult thing to do. Louis choked and sputtered, resisting the liquid from going down his fiery windpipe. 

 

“I’ve sent out for the doctor, he’s on his way,” Niall told Harry, who frowned in worry.  

 

“See that he comes as quickly as possible.”

 

The doctor concluded that it was influenza. If they could not soon break the fever, Louis was at the risk of death. 

 

Through the haziness of the fever, Louis saw visions of his mother and his old governess. They were the ones to look out for him when he was a child. He cried out for both of them, but when they didn’t come, he called for his sisters. When they did not come, he called for Niall and Zayn. When neither Niall nor Zayn came to his aid, Louis finally cried for Harry. 

 

He needed help, because the heat was consuming him, and nobody was coming to his aid.

 

Sometimes it was almost as if someone was there. He could hear people muttering to him, and hands smoothing his hair and face. But they always left, and the fire would return. 

 

Louis was unsure of how long the fever stayed, but one night he awoke, drenched in sweat with freezing clammy skin. His nightshirt was soaked and clinging to his body, which trembled with exhaustion. 

 

The room was illuminated with the gentle glow of the fire. Louis took time to study his surroundings, pausing when he saw Harry sitting at his bedside, chin tucked into his chest as he dozed. Louis was unable to do anything other than watch him through heavy lidded eyes, knowing that he didn’t have much longer until sleep would overtake him once again. 

 

Just as Louis predicted, he returned to sleep after a few more minutes. The next time he awoke, He was in a fresh nightshirt and the sheets had been presumably changed as well. Though the fire was still burning, the curtains were drawn back, lighting up Harry’s chambers. 

 

“You were trapped in the fever,” Harry spoke quietly from his bedside. “It broke last night though. You’re going to recover fully.”

 

Louis opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was too dry to utter any words. Harry understood the problem and poured a glass of cold water from a pitcher on the nightstand. 

 

“Easy now,” He murmured, hefting Louis by the armpits into a sitting position and holding the glass to his lips. “Drink it slowly, alright?”

 

It was hard to drink, with more water spilling down his front than entering his mouth, but he did manage to get enough liquid to ease his dry throat. When he was done, Harry set the now half full glass aside.

 

“I don’t want you going out to the stables anymore,” Harry suddenly stated, eyebrows drawn together and perturbed. “I should have put a stop to it before. It’s cold and- you shouldn’t be outdoors.”

 

Louis simply nodded, staring down at the covers. 

 

“You...you shouldn’t feel unwelcome here, like you have to stay in the stables. Niall explained about- about what’s been happening. He’s very sorry for the way he treated you. As am I, about the way  _ I _ have been treating you. This is your home now, and-  _ I’m sorry _ .”

 

Harry had actually apologized. He seemed genuinely troubled, and it was a side to him that Louis had rarely seen before. He should have scoffed or laughed at the noble’s words. After all, nobles didn’t really mean anything by what they said, yes? 

 

But Louis remained oddly silent for a few moments as he regarded the curly haired noble. 

 

“I have to go sometimes,” He finally said quietly. “There’s a mummy and kittens in the loft, and I  _ can’t _ leave them all alone.”

 

Harry looked slightly taken aback. 

 

“Well, surely I can appoint one of the stable boys to look out for them?”

 

“N-No,” Louis shook his head quickly, wincing at the remaining dizziness of the illness. “They’re mine, I decided it. They’re my responsibility.”

 

He could feel tears welling up in his eyes, much to his embarrassment. Louis was just so tired, and this was such a serious conversation. He was stressed and exhausted and worried. 

 

“Alright,” Harry said. “We’ll figure it out later. In the meantime, you need to rest. There will be broth ready for you soon, but until then you should sleep.”

 

While Louis slept fitfully and Niall stayed to watch over him, Harry made a trip to his stables. He greeted the servants who were mucking out the stalls, and spent a few minutes talking to his horses, stroking their noses and praising them. 

 

Then, he climbed up the loft. It was empty for the most part, as most of the food supply was stored in the manor cellar or the field food storage building, and the tools were kept in the tool shed. The loft only contained piles of hay, old and fresh. 

 

There was a blanket in the corner, one that Harry recognized at Louis’. He’d bought the item himself after all, from a women in town who made blankets with such soft and warm material. The closer he got, the more he could make out a small nest containing bundles of fur. 

 

Sure enough, there was a mother cat and five kittens who were wiggling around and crying softly. Harry knelt down and pet the mother, who only regarded him warily until he scratched under her chin, and then she purred contentedly. There was an empty saucer he recognized from his kitchen. 

 

“Don’t worry ma’am, we’ll get you all sorted out,” He told the mother cat reassuringly, moving some of the hay to build the nest more solid. Something caught his attention though, when he lifted up a pile of hay. There were papers, likely at least a dozen, stacked safely under where the hay pile had been. 

 

Harry sat down, one hand resting on the mother cat, while he read through each and every letter that Louis Tomlinson had wrote during his nights in the loft. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment, please, to let me know your thoughts! <3


	4. The Loss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe it took me a year to update this. 
> 
> Can you forgive me?

Louis was made to stay in bed for another week. His limbs ached with exhaustion, and his fever returned twice, though it was very mild compared to the original one. Had he not been feeling as weak and fragile as a newborn kitten, Louis would have perhaps enjoyed being able to spend his days in a comfy noble’s bed, not required to lift even a finger.

 

Niall spent a lot of time with him, when Harry was occupied with other things.

 

“I’ve been sending letters back and forth with Zayn,” Niall told him one afternoon. “It turns out that things are better than he had anticipated. Lord Payne isn’t even making him work. I reckon he fancies him.”

 

“That’s good,” Louis muttered, looking down at the bedsheets. “I really am sorry Niall. I was being selfish. Lia- Lord Payne, he promised to get my freedom, so I acted stupidly.”

 

“Well I’ve thought about it a lot,” Niall told him. “You’ve had a pretty shitty set of cards dealt to ‘ya. You’re being punished for a crime that your parents committed. If the law made any sort of sense, you’d have become the head of your estate and been able to stay with your siblings. I guess if I were you, I might have acted the same way.”

 

“If it’s all the same, I’m still sorry.”

 

The matter about Zayn became closed after that conversation between them. Though Louis still felt guilty, it was at a much lesser level knowing that Zayn was at least being treated well, which meant that Liam hadn’t been lying to him.

 

As the days passed, Louis itched to get out of bed. Harry still wouldn’t let him because of his cough, which had developed a little after the fever had broken.

 

Speaking of Harry, never before had Louis seen his master be so kind.

 

Harry slept next to him in the bed, and it reminded Louis of all the nights when he used to appreciate sleeping in the same bed as the noble. He had never understood why he was always invited to sleep in Harry’s bed. The noble never did anything untowardly to him, in fact they rarely touched. It was something that Louis had stopped questioning not long into his servitude.

 

Now in the evenings, Harry would read poetry or play checkers with Louis, and it was actually something that became enjoyable. Louis also received updates on Mama and her kittens, who were big enough to start getting into trouble and leaving their little nest. He simply ached to see them.

 

As soon as he was permitted to be up and about, the first thing Louis did was head out to see his beloved cats. He rushed into his overcoat and slipped into his boots.

 

He made it to the foyer before he was caught.

 

“Louis,” Harry’s voice rang out, and the servant flinched, stopping in his tracks.

 

Louis paused, swallowing and turning around so that he could face his master. Harry was standing in the archway, arms crossed as he observed him.

 

“Yes sir?”

 

“Stay inside today, it’s too cold out for you.” Harry instructed. “I’ve already had one of the stable hands check in on Mama and her babies.”

 

Disappointment filled Louis’ stomach. “O-Okay…”

 

Harry didn’t move until Louis had taken off his coat and moved a good distance from the door.

 

“There are plenty of fresh linens to be folded,” He finally informed him, though Louis knew that truly it was an order.

 

Louis didn’t mind folding so much as he did washing. Folding was fun because it was a simple task, and he always liked smelling the freshly washed and dried sheets and cloth, which were always scented of lavender. He thought that was why Harry had given him the task, since he knew Louis enjoyed it more.

 

“W-What are you doing?” Louis asked in shock when Harry took a seat next to him, the big basket of linens at their feet.

 

“I’m going to help fold,” Harry told him, and for a moment Louis thought he might be joking. Nobles didn’t just go around folding linens. Louis would know, as he hadn’t so much as folded any sort of cloth before living here.

 

There was a long silence as both Louis and Harry worked through the basket of linens. It took folding about six of them for the silence to become too unbearable to Louis.

 

“You know, I’m surprised. You haven’t been acting yourself since I’ve been sick. It’s as if I had a brush with death, not a cold.”

 

“Influenza is a bit more serious than a cold,” Harry told him, fiddling with the cloth in his hands. “You know, I thought that you were giving up, once the fever came. It made me think back to what you said during our disagreement, about death being better than servitude.”

 

Louis swallowed. “People say a lot of things that they don’t mean when they’re angry. I certainly don’t want to die.”

 

“Well,” Harry cleared his throat. “That’s good, I’m glad.”

 

There was more silence, and Louis’ confusion grew. “You shouldn’t be helping me fold. It’s not your place, as a nobleman.”

 

“It was never meant to be your place either,” Harry stated, but there was no bite to the comment. “Listen to me. I still stand by what I said earlier. This is your home, and you should feel comfortable here.”

 

“It’s fine. I mean, I don’t deserve comfort, not after what I did.”

 

Harry paused in his folding. “And what was it that you did?”

 

“I betrayed Zayn,” Louis said quietly. “Surely you knew about me and Lord Payne’s agreement? We both know you’re not stupid.”

 

“I had a feeling,” Harry confessed. “But I would have given Zayn to Liam whether you had interfered or not, if that brings any comfort to you.”

 

“I still shouldn’t have had any part in it,” Louis said. “I’m the very thing that I despise. I’m greedy and treacherous, and I only think about myself. Even if I’m a slave now, I’m no better than a corrupt noble.”

 

“You aren’t a slave,” Harry objected.

 

“Well I’m certainly not a servant. If I’m not a slave, then I don’t know what I am.”

 

“You’re special,” Harry said softly, finishing the last piece of laundry. “Unique.”

 

* * *

 

It was only a few days later that Harry sought Louis out to speak in his office.

 

“Louis, there is a matter that I must talk to you about immediately.”

 

Harry’s face looked incredibly solemn, so much that Louis was instantly put on edge.

 

“What is it?” He asked, giving the master his full attention. Harry was seated at his desk still, and there was a paper clutched in his hands.

 

“I have received a letter in the mail from Lady Calder, in regards to your sister Charlotte.”

 

“Oh dear,” Louis grew very concerned. “What’s wrong with Lottie, is she sick? Has she been hurt?”

 

Harry’s green eyes bore deeply into Louis’ blue ones. “Sit down.”

 

Once Louis was seated upon the velvet sofa, he waited expectantly for an explanation. Harry was silent for several long seconds, and Louis felt his chest tighten with worry. It had to be a grave matter, if Harry was this disturbed.

 

“Lady Calder claims that Charlotte stole and pawned several pieces of her valuable jewelry, two pairs of diamond earrings and a ruby necklace.”

 

There was a brief silence as the young servant comprehended what had just been said.

 

“What?” Louis had to smile slightly at the absurdity of such a thing. “Oh no Harry, not my Lottie. She isn’t a thief, she would never steal. She knows right and wrong, there’s no question about that. She’s-”

 

“Louis,” Harry stopped him quietly. “Charlotte is set to be executed in two weeks’ time.”

 

“No,” Louis continued to chuckle emotionlessly, overtaken in shock. “No, that can’t be right.”

 

“Louis-”

 

“ _When’s her trial_ ?” Louis interrupted sharply. “She _has_ to be given a trial.”

 

“Only those of nobility are granted the privilege of a trial.”

 

Louis shot up from his seat. “That isn’t fair! How does Lady Calder know for sure? There’s obviously been a mistake, and Lottie deserves to be heard! She is of Tomlinson blood-”

 

“And that name doesn’t mean _anything_ anymore,” Harry hissed quietly. “I have nothing to do with this matter, I’m simply relaying news to you, so watch your tongue. The Calder family is not one to be meddled with.”

 

“I must speak to her,” Louis said, his hands twitching to reach out and grab onto the noble’s sleeve. “Please, Sir. Harry? _Please_ let me talk to her.”

 

Harry flinched at Louis’ use of his name.

 

“You have no authority to be negotiating with other nobles,” He told him seriously. “We will go into the city, to the Calder estate. _You_ may see your sister, and _I_ will discuss the matter with Lady Calder.”

 

Relief flooded through his veins. “Oh thank you Harry, thank you so much…”

 

“Don’t thank me yet,” Harry told him quietly. “There is no guarantee that my words will do anything.”

 

Louis didn’t allow his spirits to deflate. He had faith in Harry, not that he would ever go admitting it. There was a certain power that his master held, and perhaps it was often a menacing power, but it was no doubt very effective.

 

“When do we leave?”

 

“Tomorrow morning.”

 

* * *

 

Seeing his baby sister locked up behind metal bars, frightened beyond belief, brought severely sore memories back into Louis’ mind, to when his parents were in the same position as Lottie. The only difference was that they had been guilty.

 

“Louis!” The terrified girl clung to him through the cell bars. “Please Louis, please tell them I didn’t do it. I would never-”

 

“Hush darling,” Louis tried to soothe her. “I know you didn’t do it.”

 

“They’re going to kill me,” Lottie told him, gripping his hand tightly. “That’s what they said. Nobody even listened to me, when I tried to say that I didn’t do it.”

 

“You’re going to be alright,” Louis said as he swiped his thumb across her wet cheekbone, stroking dingy blonde hair from her face. “Innocent people don’t get punished. This will all be sorted out, okay?”

 

“I’m scared.”

 

“I know, love.”

 

They were silent for a long time.

 

“Lottie, love?” Louis finally murmured. “Do you remember when you were six, and we were playing hide and seek? I was the seeker, and you found a hiding spot inside a chest in one of our manor’s storage rooms- remember that, how you got stuck?”

 

“I- I remember.”

 

“You were trapped for several hours, until finally one of the servants found you. But you didn’t cry the entire time you were stuck. If I had been trapped like that, I would have cried a great deal. But instead you were the bravest little girl in the world.”

 

“Louis, this isn’t anything like that.”

 

“What I’m saying,” Louis rubbed at her cold knuckles, “Is that I’ve always admired you. You’re my beautiful brave girl, and I know that your bravery will get you through this.”

 

“I- I don’t know, Louis,” Lottie shook her head, mouth trembling. “This is really, really bad.”

 

“Hush,” Louis murmured again. “It’ll be sorted, alright? You have to believe me. Things can’t stay bleak like this forever. As soon as I can make it happen, we’ll be a proper family again. We’ll live far away from the city, somewhere warm with sand and the ocean. You love the ocean, don’t you Lotts? Remember when we were younger, and we went on holiday to the ocean?”

 

She nodded in remembrance. “It was beautiful.”

 

“I’ll take us back there, and we won’t ever leave. We might not live in a mansion or have servants or fine china, but we’ll be a proper family. I’ll sing you and the girls songs before bedtime, like before, remember? It’ll be so lovely, and-”

 

“Louis.”

 

The young servant jerked around, seeing Harry in the doorway, watching him with his ever impassive face.

 

“It’s time to go.”

 

“Alright,” Louis said, pressing a soft kiss to his sister’s cold hand. “Stay strong love, we’ll get through this. Everything will be okay.”

 

* * *

 

Louis sat in an armchair of the guest suite that he and Harry were staying in. His face was swollen from crying, and it had taken every ounce of restraint to stay here instead of try to find Lady Calder. Harry was making negotiations right now, so all he could do was wait in suspense.

 

Several hours had passed, until finally the door opened and Harry walked in. All Louis had to do was look at his face once to know that his sister was not going to be saved. His face crumpled once again, and he felt like he might sick up.

 

Harry’s still had something to say. “Felicite will return with us to my manor, where she will work as a house servant alongside you.”

 

Louis blinked up at Harry tearfully. “W-What?”

 

“It was the only thing I could persuade of her. Lady Calder would not be swayed about the execution, but giving up the girl’s sister was a more approachable subject.”

 

“Oh,” There were too many emotions festering inside Louis’ head. This was a huge thing. He would be getting one of his sweet, darling sisters back.

 

But he would lose another, permanently.

 

“May I go to her?” Louis asked. “Fizzy, I mean. I know I’m not allowed in the cells right now.”

 

The noble nodded, and so he made to head off for the servant quarters.

 

“Louis?” Harry caught his sleeve, suddenly looking troubled. “I- I do apologize for the circumstances. Whether she stole or not, I do not condone Lady Calder’s method of punishment.”

 

There was a silence. It was times like these when Louis saw something more in Harry. In many ways he was just like any other noble: greedy, vengeful, pompous….But in other ways, he was different. Harry was more honorable for one, and perhaps he held a touch more of humanity than the others did.

 

“Thank you,” Louis whispered, even though he could not meet Harry’s eyes. “For getting me one of my sisters back.”

 

* * *

 

Felicite clung to Louis and wept during the entire journey home. Louis held her tightly, his own eyes wet and throat feeling unbearably tight. Harry sat across from them in the carriage, and he had not said one word.

 

Louis was thankful for that.

 

As they got closer to the Styles’ manor, Louis did his best to comfort Felicite.

 

“You’ll like it here Fiz. All of the servants are simply lovely. Just wait until you meet Niall, he’ll brighten your day with just one smile. There’s a library too, so you can read all that you want to in your spare time, to further your education. It will- you’ll be comfortable.”

 

Harry got out of the carriage first, holding out a hand to help both Felicite and Louis down. Louis carried his sister’s belongings, all of which fit into a tiny bag, and led her inside. She had yet to say a word, but held onto Louis’ hand tightly.

 

Louis had to stay strong, for Felicite’s sake.

 

Felicite was given her own chambers, modest and comfortable.

 

Several weeks had passed, before Louis caught onto something. Harry had yet to give him an actual order, not since they had returned. Despite this, Louis still helped Niall with the routine chores around the manor.

 

Everyone went out of their way to be kind to Felicite. It had taken several days for Louis to convince his sister to leave her room and explore. Now she spent most days in the library, reading and writing. Louis never asked to see what she had written.

 

It was clear that no work would be assigned to Felicite, at least not anytime soon. One afternoon Louis had caught Harry talking to her in the library, in a quiet and serious voice, but he never found out what they spoke about.

 

As mournful as Louis felt, it was good to have one of his sisters close by. It didn’t stop the nightmares though. Sometimes they were about losing Lottie. Other times it was Felicite, or the twins, or even the babies.

 

He woke screaming in Harry’s bed, and it took a long time for Harry to convince him that it was only a bad dream. At least, any that did not involve Lottie were bad dreams. The noble didn’t know what to say when Louis screamed for Lottie.

 

Eventually, as the days passed, things calmed down. Felicite smiled sometimes, and Louis smiled from seeing her smile.

 

Louis felt that things might be alright, if time continued to pass this way.

 

All of that ended one day, when he was called into Harry’s study.

 

“I’ve received news,” Harry said quietly, when Louis had sat down. “This is going to be a difficult matter to discuss, but a necessary one.”

 

“What’s wrong?” Louis asked, mind flashing back to the previous month’s news, when Harry had acted similar to the way that he was now.

 

“Lady Calder has sent me a letter. You see, more of her jewelry was stolen.”

 

Louis felt the blood drain from his face. “Harry please, Fizzy has been here, she hasn’t-”

 

“That’s enough, I haven’t finished!” Harry stopped him. “Now, more of Lady Calder’s jewelry was stolen. This time, however, the thief has been caught. It was a different maid, a young Ms. Campbell. She has confessed to everything, including pawning off the jewelry that your sister was blamed for stealing.”

 

Mouth agape, Louis merely stared back at the noble in shock. Harry didn’t say anything else, merely sitting back and watching Louis process the information that was just given.

 

“So,” Louis swallowed, finally getting his thoughts together. “So you’re telling me that my sister was innocent?”

 

“Yes, she was.”

 

“She was innocent, a-and she was still killed?”

 

Harry’s brows were narrowed. “Indeed, it is a very disturbing matter. I- I cannot express enough condolences for what has happened.”

 

Louis was feeling many things. Furious, for one, but that was mostly directed toward Lady Calder. Who condemned someone to death without any solid evidence? Lottie certainly hadn’t been the only servant inside the noble lady’s room.

 

His plan for a bright future, of one day being together with all of his siblings once again, would never come true. It was a devastating thoughts, and he felt tears pooling in his eyes.

 

Why was life so cruel and unforgiving?

 

To be honest, Louis didn’t think that he could ever be truly happy again. Even if his life was better now, with Harry treating him kinder, he would never be who he once was. Even with Felicite back, they would always be lowly servants, acting to fulfill the needs of others and not themselves.

 

They would always be short one sister.

 

That was never something that could be fixed.

 

Never.

 

Harry suddenly stood up from his desk, making his way over to Louis.

 

“There is something that I must confess,” He said, voice low and careful. “It was never my mother’s idea for you and your siblings to live. I actually made the negotiations myself with Father, when I found out that he planned on having you all executed. My mother supported my idea, but originally she was going to stand by with my father’s plan. In the end he could only be persuaded with the promise of servitude. I...I didn’t want any of you to _die_.”

 

He reached out and took both of Louis’ hands into his own, continuing on before Louis could say anything to him.

 

“Your sister’s death must be meant with something to redeem, as innocent bloodshed is an act of shame even among nobles. Therefore, as of today, you are free of servitude Louis, as are your siblings. You shall have full custody of them, and Lady Calder will pay compensation for her actions, enough gold for you all to live comfortably. Tomorrow I’m going to court to file for the order of re-declaring your nobility. That part isn’t a guarantee yet, but the end of your servitude is.”

 

Louis at first couldn’t fully comprehend what Harry had just said.

 

“You- You mean to say that I’m free?”

 

* * *

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